^gg. AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 151 



The Restoration of Mountain Covering. 



A comment on the trees available, their characteristics, growth and habitat. 



BY THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FOREST AND WATER ASSOCIATION 

 OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CAI. 



The mountains, undisturbed by the But Nature has provided the possible 



work of the woodman, or the scourge of means ; it is for us to learn how to use 



forest fires, or the depredations of do- such means to advantage, 



mestic animals, benefit mankind not only The Tuberculata Pine is but little 



by furnishing a natural water supply at known because it is so seldom found. It 



all times of the year, but by increasing is the most dignified evergreen we have, 



that supply under certain conditions, and it is extremely selfish, for it holds 



which, when taken away, result in its cones of seeds as long as it lives, never 



droughts and a general wasting away of voluntarily giving them up ; and when the 



the most productive soil. seeds are liberated, they, unless helped, 



Few people now fail to appreciate this are not planted far from home, owing to 



great value of the mountains to our pros- their not having a wing as most conifers, 



perity. But there are not so many who They thrive from 1,500 to 4, 500 feet ele- 



are convinced that the forest covering vation at this latitude. A fine lot of them 



mustbepreserved. Where fire has burned can be seen growing on the south slope 



off the natural covering, the denuded area of the San Bernardino Mountains, along 



should be replanted at once without wait- the City Creek stage road, and here, too, 



ing for the slow processes of Nature. can be seen the power of these trees, 



In many cases the fire has been so which is greater than any other ever- 

 severe that the roots of every tree and green known, to resist fire, 

 bush have been killed and the seeds con- The foliage is light green. At the age 

 sumed. The soil which has been so many of seven or eight years the tree begins to 

 years in accumulating has also been con- bear cones, not on the branches, but on 

 sumed, or, if it does remain, is in danger the main axis, and as they never fall off 

 of being washed away by storm water. or open while the trees live, a grove of 

 An occasional desert wind will scatter a any considerable size will produce a great 

 few seeds where they will take root, and many seeds. As many as 100 cones are 

 the birds will also give some help. But often seen on a tree apparently 35 years 

 while we are waiting for the mountains old and each mature cone has 125 seeds, 

 to be reclothed by Nature's process alone, As the tree grows older the cones grow 

 the rains will go wasting to the sea, and out from the older limbs as well as from 

 all interests in Southern California suffer the main axis. 



to an alarming extent because of the This Pine is a long-lived tree and, bar- 

 destruction of the trees and brush by fire. ring fire and man, has little to fear. Even 



This is more particularly true of the long droughts do not prevent their reach- 

 San Gabriel range, owing to its greater ing the age of 300 years, and many reach- 

 area being so precipitous. Thus it is of ing the height of 75 feet. John Muir says 

 the utmost importance to the people de- the tree is admirably adapted to the fire- 

 pendent upon water from this source to swept regions, where alone it is found, 

 protect the growth, and, where it has been After a grove has been destroyed, the 

 destroyed, to replant as soon as possible- ground is at once sown lavishly with all 

 It would hardly seem possible to get any the seeds ripened during its whole life, 

 plant or tree to grow on the steep, soil- and a young grove immediately springs 

 less slopes of our mountains, especially up. The seeds seem to be held in store 

 facing the South, where the heat is in- for just such a calamity as this, 

 tense during all the Summer months. Oftentimes these trees are referred to. 



